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James Bay Project The James Bay Project was the construction of a series of hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River situated in the Northwestern regions of Quebec and the diversion of the rivers nearby into the La Grande watershed. The project was planned and carried out by Hydro-Quebec, a government owned public utility that oversaw power generation, electricity and other related things in Quebec. The project cost over 20 billion dollars USD and covered an area the size of the state of New York, making it one of the largest hydroelectric stations in the world. The project became controversial when the Cree of Northern Quebec created conflict regarding land rights and the environmental and social impacts of the project. Environmental Impact The construction of the hydroelectric power stations and the diversion of the rivers to the La Grande watershed had a dramatic impact on the environment, greatly changing the characteristics of the land. The diverted rivers led to the flooding of over 11,000 km2 of boreal forest and also changed the dynamics of the water flow in the La Grande River. Some areas that once held large amounts of water were suddenly reduced to very shallow rivers or small puddles, while some areas that did not have large streams or any water at all suddenly gave way to large, fast streams of water. The construction also reshaped the land, drastically changing the physical geography and layout of the land and also causing geological tremors. Many wetlands and forests were destroyed due to the fluctuations in water levels, leading to the disappearance of many animals such as the moose or the beaver that the Cree required for sustenance. Also, high levels of methyl mercury were released into the nearby lakes and rivers due to the decomposing organic materials in the reservoirs, contaminating almost all nearby water sources. Social Impact on the Cree This change in the dynamics of the river along with the mercury that was inadvertently released into the water had an adverse effect on the environment and on the Cree whose livelihood was directly linked to the environment. The fishing grounds which were at one point one of the main sources of food for the Cree could not be used anymore due to the contamination. The Cree were still reluctant to fish from the rivers where the contamination levels were lower as there was a variety of fish living in these rivers with different contamination levels, which lead to some Cree members not eating fish anymore altogether. This lack of fish in their diet led to hunger and malnutrition for some, especially for those who were pregnant as the nutrients provided by fish were vital during pregnancy in the North. The destruction of wild-life habitats which were home to many of the animals that the Cree hunted had the most significant impact on the life of the Cree hunters. Despite living in a rather modern society, hunting was still a major source of food for them. Yet the construction of the power stations destroyed their hunting grounds, and the extensive network of roads and flooding in the region made hunting almost impossible. At this point, the Cree basically gave up on hunting and tried to look for alternate ways to get food as they were struggling to get enough food. Due to all the negative impact the project had on the Cree, society deteriorated in the nearby villages. Most people were extremely unhappy and often succumbed to some form of coping such as alcoholism or the like. Suicidal attempts were almost daily in the small village and people began to grow angry at the government for destroying their self-sustaining livelihood and shoving a monetary society down their throats, destroying the Cree way of live and culture. Works Cited * "James Bay Project." - The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web. 01 June 2012. . * "The Grand Council of the Crees." (Eeyou Istchee) Cree Regional Authority Environment Social Impact on the Crees of James Bay Project. Web. 01 June 2012. . * Linton, J. J. "The James Bay Hydroelectric Project - Issue of the Century." Web. 1 June 2012. . * "James Bay Project." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 May 2012. Web. 02 June 2012. .